DISCLAIMER: I own nothing in this story.

A/N: Please review and read! Oh well other way round but you get the point. :D Thanks xx

SUMMARY: Set before the Darren Shan books. He said everything was okay because he wanted it to be. He closed his eyes to the world but she knew him better than that. She wished he would confide in her. She knew that if he loved her, he would. LxA

TITLE: Always

"Nice night actually," Mr Crepsley said, gazing up wearily at the star scattered sky. In his arms, he held Arra, the vampire of who he cared for the most. She was beautiful in every way, her distinct look of pure amazement in her eyes made them glisten under the moonlight of which stood out beneath the midnight blue sky. There was a hazy quality to the night, the moon was clouded over slightly by two small clusters of cotton-candy like clouds but the stars still twinkled like fireflies. His voice held a tone of sadness; it was clear in the way he sighed.

"Larten, are you okay?" Arra asked, fidgeting and laying her head on his chest. He remained unspoken, causing her to look up at him and smile receptively. "Larten, please just tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing, it is just something on my mind." Deep down, she knew it was more than that. She knew he despised the vampire general way of living and in fairness, who wouldn't? In that train of thought, it was kill or be killed. He had to protect his people, his princes. They depended on him and the other generals; he couldn't just sit back and watch them die. She remained unspoken; he clearly was in a certain train of thought. "Arra, I...," sitting up, Arra noticed the confused glisten in his eyes so rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"Yes, you…what?" Her voice urged him to continue but in the innermost part of his heart, he knew that he couldn't. "I see," she nodded and stood up, casting her shadow onto the damp, hard ground of Vampire Mountain.

"I love you. Arra, I love you." He followed her movement and stood up, sliding his arms around her waist. "I just…there is just a lot on my mind at the moment and believe me I wish it would all just go away but I am afraid that I cannot just let my mind slip."

"I know, I just… Larten, what is wrong? I know that it is something more than that. Just tell me what's wrong." Placing a soft, quick kiss on her lips he smiled sweetly and looked back at the mountain opening.

"I cannot. I am needed in the Hall of Princes. I will find you later on and then I will tell you." Disappearing through the secret opening, he left Arra standing in the chilly night time breeze. Days passed, nights passed, his feelings remained locked deep inside of his mind. She was worried, she couldn't help feeling like he was hiding away from the world and she knew that he wanted to run away from his true feelings, from his life. Wandering down the tunnels, she came across the orange haired vampire sitting alone in his cell, staring at the ceiling.

"Larten?" turning his head to see Arra, he smiled and returned to his past position. "May I come in?"

"Yes, actually can I tell you something?" His words laced with a mix of emotions. Hurt, confusion, despair, they were all intertwined with the words spilling out of his mouth.

"Of course, you talk to me about anything." Her voice was knotted with concern and worry for her mate. He blinked back the tears, tears of perplexity and unjust decisions. She wanted to make it better, to wipe away the tears and tell him that it would be okay and he would agree. He would say that it was okay because he wanted it to be. He had always been a dreamer, for as long as she could remember but he had also looked back on the past.

"Well, I have been thinking and I have noticed that as a general, it lies on me to make decisions. I cannot take making them anymore because I cannot have other vampire's lives in my hands. I understand that I should be honoured but I despise attending slaughters in the hall of death. So many times have I heard a vampire, a friend, a brother scream and yell for mercy but they get none. What worries me is that the princes, many of the generals, they enjoy it. I am aware that they want to watch the betrayers die with upmost humiliation but still, I get an empty feeling in me when I watch them. We are just as bad as them for watching and I am not sure this is the way I want it to be." He allowed the tears to seep from his eyes and drip slowly down his cheeks as Arra placed a comforting arm around him.

"I know I know it hurts but you must learn to let go of the past. The slaughters have happened, vampires have betrayed us but we get through it together. We stand together as mates, we love each other." Tangling his fingers in her hair, he lay back and sighed; allowing Arra to curl up beside him and place her head on his chest.

"I know. At the moment, you are all that matters to me. Here, knowing the stars are shining brightly, knowing that one of the stars out there is so bright and is brighter than the rest, with you here I know that I will…we will get through this. You will never leave me?" Arra snuggled closer and buried her head in his chest.

"I would not leave you if the stars stopped shining, the moon failed to appear in the sky and if the sun ceased to gleam. I would stick by you if it meant my life to be put in danger. Larten, I truly love you, more than words can say." Placing an arm around her, he kissed her forehead and let an avid smile creep onto his lips.

"And I, you Arra, I love you too." He may not have had the life he wanted, he may have had to watch death and watch his friends fall onto the sharpened stakes in the Hall of Death but he knew that throughout it all, he would have Arra, always.

A/N: Pretty please with a cherry on top review. Thanks for reading anyways if you don't review and I hope you liked it. Sorry if it's suckish but I was bored so decided to write and Arra/Larten romance fic. Thanks again though :D Oh and please tell me if you want me to continue with some more chappies because I'm not sure weather to or not so... yeah tell me in a review! :D